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A good cover letter expands on the information in your resume and offers insights into the qualities that make you a good candidate for the job. Companies look for specific information in the cover letter that will help them decide which candidates to interview. Knowing what companies look for when they review cover letters can help you increase your chances of getting an interview.

Communication Skills Evaluation

Your cover letter serves as a sample of your ability to express yourself in writing. A poorly written letter with typographical errors can indicate that you have a problem with accuracy and attention to details. The company also looks for proper grammar, punctuation and word usage. If you can’t write a grammatically correct, typo-free letter, the company might decide that you wouldn’t be a good candidate for the job. The length of the letter can also affect whether you get an interview invitation. Recruiters scan cover letters quickly and might give up on yours if you can’t get to the point. Short letters that don’t provide enough information about your interest in the job and your abilities might fail to impress recruiters.

Following Directions

Companies also use the cover letter as a way to assess your ability to follow directions. This might start with the subject line if the company requests emailed cover letters. If the company requests that you write “Lead Analyst Position” in the subject line and you write “IT job” instead, you’ve shown that you didn’t read the ad carefully. The company might ask you to address certain issues in your letter, such as your salary requirements. If you don’t provide the requested information, the company might conclude that you aren’t good at following directions.

The Right Person

The cover letter is your chance to convince the company that you are the right candidate for the job. Detailed information on your most significant achievements and transferable skills can help them make the decision to interview you. Pick one or two achievements and explain how you’ll be able to use these skills to help the new company. Although it’s important to provide this information, it’s equally important to limit the information to a paragraph or two. The HCareers website suggests that you include information on major credential and education requirements in your letter. If these requirements are essential to the job, mentioning them might help your letter pass the initial screening.

Keyword Counting

Although scanning software is used primarily to scan resumes, your cover letter also might be scanned, particularly if you submit the letter as part of an online application process. Scanners look for keywords and keyword phrases to identify the best candidates for the job. Many of these keywords or phrases that the company looks for are included in the advertisement. It won’t hurt to include a few keywords from the ad in your cover letter and might just help you get an interview.

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About the Author

Working at a humane society allowed Jill Leviticus to combine her business management experience with her love of animals. Leviticus has a journalism degree from Lock Haven University, has written for Nonprofit Management Report, Volunteer Management Report and Healthy Pet, and has worked in the healthcare field.